ABOUT THIS ALBUM

Album Notes

Backworld founder Joseph Budenholzer grew up in Nebraska, immersed in the rural lore and religious traditions of the region. He attended parochial school where he was taught by nuns to play the guitar for folk Mass. He worked for years at The Omaha Magic Theatre, an offshoot of The Open Theatre in New York, as composer in residence. Moving to New York City’s East Village in the mid-1980s he performed at St Mark’s Poetry Project and began collaborating with dance performer Brian Moran, aka Blood Boy, creating sampled soundscapes for confrontational Actionist assaults. This led to the Cinema of Transgression scene where he worked with filmmakers Richard Kern, Beth B, and Tessa Hughs-Freeland, and composer JG Thirlwell aka Foetus. Eventually a series of collaborations with Lydia Lunch resulted, culminating in the double CD, Matrikamantra, a work of psycho-acoustic theatre in the form of a homage to Romanian philosopher poet EM Cioran. In 1990 Budenholzer enrolled in NYU’s Gallatin Division, focusing on Eastern European experimental theatre of the 1960s and 70s, traveling to study in Russia and Bulgaria, and later touring Poland and the Czech Republic with Lydia Lunch. “I formed Backworld in 1993, owing to a passion for English folk music, certain aspects of 60s psychedelia, and Christian mysticism. I wanted to make music that could reflect these interests and hopefully be as spiritual and beautiful.” After joining forces with World Serpent Distribution (London) in 1995 four studio albums resulted, Holy Fire (1996), Isles of the Blest (1997), Anthems from the Pleasure Park (1999), Of Silver Sleep (2001) and a live album, The Fourth Wall, recorded at the Bloomsbury Theatre, London 2001. And most recently, Good Infection (2007), released on discalcula records. Backworld’s albums and early performances beginning at CBGB’s 313 Gallery and the NYU Experimental Theatre Wing and later throughout Europe at House Leipzig, Germany; Grandson Castle, Switzerland; Bloomsbury Theatre, and St. Olave’s Church, London; St. Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow; as well as touring Russia and Eastern Europe have featured a changing roster of players but the course is still steered by Budenholzer’s constant vision. Arrangements of guitar, strings, percussion, flutes, electronics, revolve around lyrics concerned with ecstatic religious yearnings and otherworldly visions. Guest performers on BW albums have included Jarboe of Swans and Michael Cashmore of Current 93. In 2006 Joseph returned to NYC after three years living in Scotland where he recorded the bulk of Good Infection, enlisting the talents of Isobel Campbell (Belle & Sebastian, Gentle Waves), David Tibet (Current 93) and Drew McDowall (Coil) to help with lyric writing, contribute vocals and other textures to the sessions. Other notable collaborations include playing in Current 93 and co-writing and producing the Little Annie album "Songs from the Coal Mine Canary" with Antony (of the Johnsons)